On 30th September 2026, approximately 100 representatives from the housing industry, academia, politics, and neighbourhood work gathered for the second specialist conference "Quarters of the Future – From Overload to Resilience" at the EBZ – European Education Centre of the Housing and Real Estate Industry in Bochum. The event, organised by InWIS, the EBZ Academy, the GdW, and the VdW Rheinland Westfalen, focused on how quarters can remain stable and liveable in the face of growing social, demographic, and infrastructural challenges. The day's discussions and findings culminated in the "Bochum Impulse 2026".
The welcoming remarks already underscored the complexity of resilient quarter development. Klaus Leuchtmann, Chairman of the EBZ Board, referred to the immediate effects of societal changes in the quarters and emphasised the need for research, data, and new competencies for proactive action. Dr. Christian Lieberknecht, GdW Executive Board, highlighted that social issues have receded into the background in recent years compared to climate protection and energy efficiency and need to be brought back into sharper focus. Alexander Rychter, Association Director of the VdW Rheinland Westfalen, underlined the relevance of an active housing and urban development policy and embedded social resilience within a broader understanding of resilient quarters. The common tenor dictates that quarter development, based on knowledge, cooperation, and sustainable structures, must transition from a reactive to a proactive approach.
Factors and Structures of Resilient Quarters
David Orr CBE, Chairman of the Clarion Housing Association Board, provided an international impetus by presenting his keynote on the "5 Giants" – Connectedness, Resilience, Frugality, Trust, and Health – as guiding principles for a new understanding of housing and community. He elaborated that global challenges such as social inequality, loneliness, demographic change, and housing shortages manifest as local realities within quarters. Therefore, it is essential to build resilience not only in crisis situations but to promote it preventively through strong relationships, reliable structures, and the active involvement of residents.
Almuth Draeger, Head of Division for Social Urban Development at the Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building, addressed the political framework conditions. She explained that resilience in quarters encompasses functional, social, and structural aspects. A mix of uses can reduce dependencies and strengthen adaptability, while meeting places, networks, and participation foster social cohesion. Adaptable buildings, as well as public and social infrastructures, ensure the long-term functionality of a quarter. Urban development funding can provide important impulses in this context.
Prof. Dr. Torsten Bölting, Managing Director of InWIS, and Dr. Oliver Gewand, GdW Head of Division for Urban Development, Housing, and Spatial Planning, provided a professional framework with eleven theses. They stated that the overload of a quarter does not depend on a single burden, but on the relationship between challenges and resources. Essential factors include functioning social infrastructures, engaged stakeholders, robust networks, and effective administrations, housing companies, and social welfare organisations. For professional quarter work, social and communication skills, project management, strategic thinking, participation, and networking are indispensable. Well-trained quarter managers and social counsellors play a central role in the early detection of social problems, facilitating participation processes, and networking support structures. Resilient quarters therefore emerge through sustainable collaborations rather than through individual actors.
Practice-Relevant Applications and Political Mandate for Action
Four panels illuminated the breadth of resilience in quarters, including topics such as loneliness among different age groups, engaging migrant communities, social cohesion, promoting democracy, and digitisation as a key to provision. Scientific perspectives were linked with practical experiences. A dialogue forum brought together academia, politics, and practice to discuss instruments and data for promoting resilient quarters. It was emphasised that successful approaches must be made more visible and transferable, and that quarter work requires evidence of impact to secure its benefit for politicians, municipalities, and funding bodies.
In three quarter workshops, participants developed concrete approaches for better accessibility for cooperative members, for organising cooperation between housing companies, municipalities, and social welfare organisations, and for promoting encounters in the quarter. The day's results were summarised in the "Bochum Impulse 2026" and presented to representatives of the Bundestag and the Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building. This impulse formulates concrete demands on federal policy, including earlier detection of burdens in quarters, the creation of reliable funding and cooperation structures, the strengthening of social infrastructure and voluntary work, and enabling a forward-looking allocation policy.
